COUNSELLING NEEDS OF OLD PEOPLE IN OSHIMILI SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF DELTA STATE (GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
The globalization of ageing has ever been with us since creation. According to Rowntree Foundation (2009), Cattan and Gluntoli (2010) says that aging has three distinct processes, namely: the primary ageing, which refers to the normal disease-free movement towards adulthood with changes in the biological, social and psychological domains. The biological ageing has to do with the typical reduction or less in the capability of the vital organs in their coping mechanisms as age advances. Social ageing refers to some unwritten expectation of human’s behaviour at a particular chronological age, especially how they act, how they dressed, their languages and interpersonal lifestyles. Psychological ageing has to do with the difficulties that individuals have to cope with psychological defects like attention deficits, low performance, expectation and related performed anxiety, motivation difficulties and variety of fears associated with ageing.
Callaghan and Darton (2010) classify ageing chronologically as 65 years and above but Sanusi and Manthorpe (2009) use the age group 45-60 and 60 and above to represent ageing. The thought of getting old makes people have fear, yet they still desire to live long. Several changes that take place in the human body as it ages include: hearing and vision declines muscle strength lessens. Soft tissues such as skin and blood vessels becomes less flexible and there is an overall decline in body tone.
A pertinent question is how do our aged citizens view themselves on the society in Nigeria? In the traditional period before colonialism, old people were held in high esteem. It was the duty of the community to tend to their needs. They did not go hungry and wait endlessly to receive pension from government. They had suitable accommodation even if it was a mud house. They were physically strong as most of them still preferred to go to the farm, at least to help the younger ones. They were not lonely as people gathered round them in the evening to listen to stories. But things have changed and our elderly citizens are confronted with a lot of challenges and need. What are these needs and how do our old folks perceive them in terms of urgency in significance. This study therefore attempts to determine how old people in Oshimili South Local Government Area evaluate these needs and challenges listed bellows:
